In the event the owners of the marauding dogs are prosecuted, the likeliest charge would be criminal negligence causing bodily harm, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, Detective Constable Cory Gurman said yesterday.

"At this point in the investigation that's about what we would be looking at. I'm not sure if there's anything else that would be applicable."

The boy, identified yesterday as Jeron Zhang, was in the care of a young woman believed to be a relative and was playing in the yard of east Hamilton's Memorial Elementary School when he was attacked by the Rottweilers.

Jeron was saved when local resident Mark Berka, returning home from Christmas dinner at his sister's house, heard cries for help and ran to the schoolyard. After a lengthy tussle with the dogs, Mr. Berka, 41, managed to pry the boy free and help hustle him to the safety of another neighbour's home.

The two dogs, meanwhile, were captured and are in the city's animal shelter, scheduled to be euthanized in about a week's time. Source...